Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1887-10-25
suALL I-rAm BE ApMITTEpt

q
Whether OF not Utah shall he admitted
to the Union rs a State il q question that
Is destined soon to occupy the minds OF
our national law makers. Two reports
from the Utah commissioners on the CON
dition of affairs in that interesting and
rather troublesome territory warn us that
the Mormon problem is not yet settled, and
that the discussion of it must take up a
good deal of time in the approaching ses-
sion of Congress. The MormOns have held
a convention and drafted constitution
which they will present TO Congress with
prayer for the admission into the Union.
The population is about Isl, 900, OF which
number l32, 600 are MormOns, and IS, 1000
G5ntiles. "A the representa- tive ratio in
the present Congress is l5l, 900, the terri
tory has the numbers 10 entitle it to the
dignity Of statehood, aud the question is:
Shall il he admitted?
The majority report OF the Utah commits
sion says no; the minority report says yes.
The question is one of profound concern to
the country, and Congress will need some
sort of expression of the popular will to
guide it in making answer.
The Constitution % the proposed State IS
all, on its E;ce, that could he "ished. 1t
prohibits a union Of the Church and State;
il forbids bigamy and pOlygamy, in the
most explicit manner and under penalty
of 81 900, and even provides that no pardon
for the offeuses shall he effective till ap-
proved by the President OF the United
Statcs-a very extraordinary feature. 1t
further provides that tSis anti-polygamy
article "sball not he amended, revised on
any way changed without the approval
of Congress.
Is not this enough? the MOrmon's ask.
Is it not q sufficient guaranty against the
practice IN the new State2 The Gentiles
answer no, and they are backed up by a
majority of the commissioners. The Cen
tiles assert that the "anti-Polygamy arti-
Gle is all SHAM" and in support of this
accusation they point to the fact that the
convention which formed the constitution
was composed exclusively of MOFmOns,
and nearly all the votes in favor OF the
constitution were MOrmons, the non-GOr-
mon element being resOlutely opposed "a
the State movement. II is asserted as s
further proof of the iusincerity of the
MOrmOns in adopting the anti-pOlygamy
article, that they still practice pOlygamy
and refuse to give evidence 10 convict
the offenders; aud the GentileS argue that
if the MOrmons refuse to abandon the prac-
tice now they will lot ebsndOn it when
under a state government, they have
things their own way. The MOunOns
vote and act in political matters in body
and in spite Of the vigorous enaetments at
congress the church still rules the terri.
tory and ifthls Is the case under the ter
ritorial condition it will continue to be 80
when Utah is admitted as a state with a
legislature and courts OF its own aud two
senators and representative in congress
The majority report, therefore, regards
this state movement As an effort to free
the Mormon church from the tolls which
the firm attitude of the government and
the energetic course of the federal officers
bava thrash arouud il -
Now. for tie minority report Of the
Commission. The minority accept the
anti-polygamy provision as al act of good
faith, and argue that IS the entire legislation
of Congress over Utah has been taken to
break up the practise, the country is
bound to accept this Constitution as the